Eyelashes and Cosmetics

Using Eye Makeup

Follow these tips to keep your eyes healthy as well as beautiful:

Throw away eye makeup after three months. Infection-causing bacteria grow easily in creamy or liquid eye makeup. If you develop an eye infection, immediately toss all of your eye makeup.

Never share eye makeup, and when sampling makeup in stores use only fresh applicators and samples that have not been contaminated by multiple users. (The safest choice is to avoid store samples altogether.)

If you tend to be allergic, introduce only one new eye makeup or care product at a time. If there is no reaction, add another new product, and so on. If you notice an allergic reaction, find out what the ingredients are and let your doctor know. Avoid products that contain untested or harmful chemicals.

Before applying makeup, be sure your face and eyelids are very clean. Always apply makeup outside the lash line, away from the eye, to avoid blocking the oil glands of the upper or lower eyelid. These glands secrete oil that protects the eye’s surface. Never apply makeup while in a moving vehicle.

Do not separate your mascara-clumped lashes with sharp items.

If you tend to have dry eyes, avoid metallic/glitter, powder or other makeup that flakes. Flakes can get into the tear film and increase your eyes’ irritation. Glitter eye makeup is a common cause of corneal irritation or infection, especially in contact lens users.

Remove all eye makeup at night before sleeping, especially mascara that can stick to the lashes. Brush a clean cotton swab along the base of the eyelashes to remove all makeup remnants. If you use eye makeup remover, avoid getting it in your eyes and thoroughly rinse remover off your eyelids.

If you have eye surgery, do not wear makeup around the eye until your ophthalmologist tells you it is safe to do so, and then use only fresh, new makeup.

What You Should Know About Enhancing Your Eyelashes with Latisse

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the use of a prescription drug, Latisse, to help lengthen, thicken and darken eyelashes. However, there are other, undesirable side effects, such as eye redness, irritation and darkening of the skin of the eyelids. Darkening of the iris (the colored portion of the eye) has also been reported, and this side effect cannot be reversed. Learn more about Latisse.